Wagon-brake



wi tmwoeo (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J.- A. WHITGOMB. WAGON BRAKE.

No. 426,974. Patented Apr. 29, 1890.

' ghio/ woznu UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE- JAMES ALLEN WHITCOMB, OFLYONS, NEBRASKA.

WAGON-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,974, dated April29, 1890.

I Application filed February 21, 1890- $e1ialNo.341,315. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ALLEN WHIT- oOMB,a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Lyons, in the county of Burt and State ofNebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticVVagon-Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inautomatic wagonbrakes.

- The object of the invention is to provide a wagon-brake which will beautomatically set when the weight of the wagon or a part thereof comesupon the neck-yoke of the harness, means being provided for locking thebrake against the wheel, and a bar which extends within reach of thedriver for unlocking the brake; and my invention consists in theconstruction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fullyset forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom view of a wagon,showing my improved automatic brake applied thereto, Fig. 1 being asimilar view of the. end of the tongue. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional View, Fig. 2 being a continuation thereof. Fig. 3 isa verticalsectional view taken on the line 00 as of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectionalview taken on the line y y of Fig. 2.

The running-gear of the wagon is of ordinary construction, the polebeing pivoted between the projecting ends of the hounds aby means of arod to, which passes through the ends of the hounds and the frame 6attached to the pole, as well as theend of the pole. The pole A isprovided near its rear end with a box or casing c, which containsanti-friction rollers c, and through this box passes the rod 0, to behereinafter described. The box 0, containing the anti-friction rollers,is attached to the pole by a bolt 01, which is encircled above the poleby a spring d, which bears upon the pole and a plate above, which is theretaining-nut. By this construction the pole can be elevated withoutthrowing undue strain upon the connecting-rod O, which is of such astrength that it will compress the spring before bending. This rod alsoserves as a tongue-support. A boxing e, also having anti-frictionrollers, is attached to the tongue near the front end of the rod 0, andby means of these boxes and anti-friction rollers the rod 0 can have aneasy front and rear movement. The front end of the rod 0 is coupled to ashort bar 0, having a front bifurcated end, which is pivoted to thesides f of the pole-tip F, said pole-tip being pivoted to the end of thepole, as shown,

by a pin f, which projects beyond the sidesof the pole-tip and hasperforations for the reception of the coiled ends of a spring F, theloopedportionthereofwhichtraversesthepoletip bearing thereon, so as tonormally hold the pole-tip on a line with the pole. The end 7 of thepole-tip has pivoted theretov a gravitycatch F which will hold theneck-yoke ring thereon. The rear end of the rod 0 is provided with aslot 0 through which passes a pin 0 havinga head, said pin serving asasupport for the rear end of the rod, and at the rear of the slottedportion the rod 0 is connected by means of a bolt to the rod G, which issupported beneath the running-gear and passes through a central openingin the brake-bar H. In rear of the brake-bar this rod G is encircled byacoiled spring g, which bears upon the brake-bar and upon the front endsof plates 1, which are connected to each other and have a centralopening through which passes a bolt for adjusting the plates upon therod G, said rod being provided at its rear end with perforations forthis purpose. Between the plates I are secured bars K, the rear ends ofwhich are attached to the long ends of levers L, the short ends of saidlevers being suitably connected by bars M to the brake-bar H. The rod Gnear its front end is provided with ratchet-teeth g, with which thefront cross-bar of a bail or loop N engages so as to hold thebrake-blocks against the wheels, and this loop or bail has its forwardportion curved, as shown in Fig. 2, and is con nected by a link at to abell-crank lever 0, which is attached to the front cross-bar or bolsterof the running-gear, this bell-crank lever being connected by a rod 10to a reverse bell-crank lever 0, having a vertically-slidin g bar 0,which passes through suitable guides and has a catch which engages withone of the guides for holding the sliding bar elevated and the bail orloop N in engagement with the ratchet-teeth g.

In operation when the wagon in going downhill moves forward, pressurewill be brought to bear upon the neck-yoke, which will elevate thecasting or pole-tip F, and will move the rods 0 and G forwardly, whichmotion is communicated by the levers L to the brake-bar, so that thebrake-shoes thereon will be brought in contact with the wheels to retardthe rotation thereof. The ratchet-teeth will engage with the loop orbail and hold the brake on until the sliding bar is moved out ofengagement with its guide, and when the sliding bar 0 is depressed thespring will cause the parts to assume their normal position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is V 1. The combination, in an automaticwagonbrake, of a pole or tongue havinga pivoted tip with depending lugsand a spring for normally holding said tip in line with the tongue, theneck-yoke being adapted to be secured thereto, connecting-rods beneaththe pole attached to a bar beneath the reach, said bar being connectedto pivoted levers, said levers having rods for connecting the same tothe brake-bar, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an automatic wagon-brake, the combination of a rod 0, movablyconnected to the pole and front axle, said rod also being connected to aconnecting-rod G, having adj ustable plate with bars K, pivoted leversL, secured to the rear axle, and bars M for connecting the short ends ofsaid levers to the brake-bar, said rod Gr having ratchet-teeth and meansfor holding the same locked, sub stantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the pivoted pole or tongue A, having supports 0and c for a red O, connecting-rod Gr, having ratchet-teeth g, spring g,which abuts against the brake-bar and fixture I on said bar,connecting-bars K and M, and levers L, a pivoted bail or loop N, adaptedto engage with the ratchet-teeth g, and connections for raising andlowering said bail or loop, substantially as shown, and for the purposeset forth.

4. In combination with an automatic brake constructed substantially asshown, and having as an essential part a rod G with ratchetteeth, apivoted bail adapted to engage there with, a loop for connecting theforward portion of said bail to a bell-crank lever, a rod pforconnecting said bell-crank lever to a bell-crank lever o, and a slidingbar 0 for raising and depressing the bail, said sliding bar having acatch for holding it raised, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in an automatic brake, of a pole-tip or casting lpivoted to the pole by a pin f, the ends of which are encircled by aspring which bears upon the forward portion of said tip so as to hold itnormally depressed, depending lugs f, to which are pivotally attachedthe ends of a bifurcated connecting-bar C, and a gravity pawl or catch Ffor retaining the ring of the neck-yoke thereon, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES ALLEN IVIIITCOMB.

'Witnesses WM. D. WILSON, A. L. DAOKS.

